Don Callis Doesn’t Think Monster Heels Should Be Nice To Fans

Don Callis offered his thoughts on All In weekend in the latest episode of his podcast, Killing The Town. Callis is the executive vice president for IMPACT Wrestling and a commentator for New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Callis served as a commentator for the All In pay-per-view this past Saturday. He revealed The Young Bucks asked him to do so back at Dominion 6.9 in Osaka, Japan in June. Callis said he enjoyed All In weekend and visiting with some of his old wrestling buddies.

He did, however, note one thing he wasn’t too big a fan of. Kayfabe is dead in today’s era of wrestling. However, Callis doesn’t believe “monster heels” should be getting chummy with fans at events such as autograph signings. He’d prefer they stay in character:

“I think there’s too much familiarity, in my opinion, between fans and wrestlers,” said Callis. “But I also see why it’s good for business, so I don’t have a quote-unquote ‘problem’ with it.

“I’ll tell you one of the things I don’t like, and it’s not anyone specifically, but I think there are characters in wrestling.

“Like if you’re a heel, if you’re a strong heel, if you’re a monster heel, like a Su Yung or an Undertaker, or those sorts of characters, I don’t think you should be out selling gimmicks, signing autographs without your gimmick on.

“Your facepaint, or your hair, or whatever you do to yourself to get in this monster heel gimmick, I don’t think you should be out there signing autographs and being nice to the fans.

“Because, I think now the fans will like it, but you’re actually doing them a disservice, because if you’ve protected your gimmick as a heel properly…if you are an actual heel and you have actual heat, why would you want to screw that up by meeting [fans].

“Like if you meet 100 fans over the course of a weekend, why would you want to spoil all the hard work that you’ve done and spoil what the fans have been enjoying about you by being a babyface to them? I just don’t understand that.”